I’m excited to read this new book by Jess Row, Your Face in Mine. It’s about a white Jewish man who undergoes racial re-assignment surgery and becomes a black man. It puts me in mind of one of my favorite books by George Schuyler called Black No More. You can read a little about the book here in a New York Times story by Felicia Lee. And read Festival favorite writer Emily Raboteau’s New York Times Book Review take on the book here. —Heidi Durrow
1st Mixed Remixed Write-In Now in Seattle and LA! Oct. 11 at 11am
UPDATE: THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD ON OCT. 25, 2014 AT 11AM. SAME LOCATIONS! We’re excited to have our very first write-in. Now you can meet-up in Los Angeles and the Seattle Area. Bring your neglected work-in-progress and laptop or paper and pen and get energized by your fellow Mixed Remixed writers. And please let us know that you’re coming so we can save some tables together! RSVP here.
Los Angeles: at the Coffee Connection, 3838 S. Centinela Avenue, LA, CA.
Seattle: Third Place Books, Lake Forest Place, 17171 NE Bothell Way, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
See you then! – Heidi Durrow
100-Foot Journey: Movie Review
I reviewed the book this film is based on for NPR a few years ago so I was eager to see how it translated to the big screen. And can I say I thought it translated quite well!
It’s a sweet fairy-tale kind of story and it’s also the kind of story that the Mixed Remixed Festival loves to celebrate: a story about our racial and cultural connectedness. I don’t think I’m spoiling it by saying that the story features not one but two interracial relationships. And well, it’s just a lovely story about longing, and dreaming and what it really means to make your dreams come true. Check it out! I think you’ll like it a lot!–Heidi Durrow
Another Great Mixed Remixed Read
If you’re looking for a great read that deals with the Mixed experience. Check out All Our Names by Dinaw Mengetsu. It’s the story of an interracial romance between a mid-western woman and an immigrant African man. Touching and well-told. I highly recommend it.–Heidi Durrow
Book & Mixed Remixed Festival T-shirt Giveaway
Want to win a copy of the awesome book Forbidden Love: The Hidden History of Mixed-Race America by Gary B. Nash. The Festival is featured in this latest edition and we are lucky to have copies to giveaway to 3 lucky winners. Enter to win by answering this Mixed experience history question. Winners will be chosen at random from all correct answers.–Heidi Durrow
Mixed Remixed Festival Immortalized in Book!
Guys! We made the big time. We’re in a book! Check out Forbidden Love: The Hidden History of Mixed-Race America by Gary Nash! Festival folks can get 15 percent off using the code REMIXED.
We’re also going to do a giveaway for copies of the book. Stay tuned for information about our contest.-Heidi Durrow
Spotlight on Festival Fave Mari Naomi & Her New Book of Graphic Vignettes
We were so lucky to have artist Mari Naomi participate in the inaugural Mixed Remixed Festival. And now we’re excited to tell you about her new book of graphic vignettes which will be out in September.
Dragon’s Breath is an exciting new work you don’t want to miss. In Dragon’s Breath, “MariNaomi explores a wide spectrum of topics including youthful rebellion, mortality, disillusionment, and compassion. These poignant stories, some filled with hope, others tinged with remorse, are sure to appeal to even the most discerning reader.”
LA-based folks! You can catch Mari at Skylight Books (the Festival’s official bookseller) September 26, 2014(Friday), 7:30 p.m. for her book release party and reading. Free admission. See you there! Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles.
Mari will be appearing at a number of venues. Check here to see if she’s coming your way!–Heidi Durrow
Our 1st Mixed Remixed Write-In!
Who wants to join us? We’re planning a first-ever Mixed Remixed Write-In to get together and encourage each other with the projects we’re working on. Not in LA? No problem. You can join us via our Google Hangout virtually! Details to come! But make sure you’re on the mailing list so that you’ll get all the details. You can join the list here.
Children’s Book Reading: I Am Mixed with co-author Sebastian Jones
Children’s Book Reading with Sebastian Jones co-author of I am Mixed
June 14, 2014 12:15pm-12:40pm
Children’s Book Author Sebastian Jones
Reading from children’s book I Am Mixed by Garcelle Beauvais and Sebastian Jones.
12:15pm
SEBASTIAN A. JONES
Sebastian is the president of Stranger Comics. He has been involved in entertainment since an early age in England. After having left for America at the age of 18, he founded and ran the critically acclaimed MVP Records at the age of 20, globally releasing 25 albums that included such artists as James Brown, John Coltrane, Marvin Gaye, and Billie Holiday, with a client list including EMI-Capitol, Sony, WB, BMG, and Universal. He transitioned from music to film when he collaborated with filmmakers The Polish Brothers to create Salvador for Boom! Studios. Following that, he wrote and directed the comedy pilot Cast Off starring Scoot McNairy (Argo) and Scott Adsit (30 Rock). Jones then transitioned to feature writing and adapted several of his stories into graphic novel form when he founded Stranger Comics. Stranger’s maiden title is The Untamed, from which Jones directed and produced a motion comic in addition to creating the comic book. Under Stranger Kids (Stranger Comics’ children’s division) Jones has released the,
I Am Book Series (I Am Mixed and I Am Living in 2 Homes), which he authored with Garcelle Beauvais (Flight, White House Down, The Jamie Foxx Show, Franklin & Bash) with foreword endorsement by Halle Berry.
GARCELLE BEAUVAIS
Haitian-born actress Garcelle Beauvais immigrated to the United States at the age of seven, and has since charmed audiences with her dramatic and comedic abilities. Recent projects include “White House Down,” “Flight,” “And Then There Was You,” and “Small Time.” Garcelle is also a co-host for E!’s “Fashion Police” and “Access Hollywood Live” on NBC, and was recently named one of the 50 Most Beautiful Women 2014 by People Magazine. Above all, Garcelle’s most important job is being a mother. She was inspired to write the children’s book series entitled ‘I AM,’ addressing identity issues relevant to many children today. The first book “I AM MIXED,” celebrating diversity in all cultures, was released in the summer of 2013, and the second in the series, “I AM LIVING IN TWO HOMES,” to help children and parent navigate the complexities of divorce, will be released August 19th, 2014. Looking back, Garcelle got her start when she began modeling at the age of seventeen and easily transitioned to acting in the Aaron Spelling series “Models, Inc.” After that, she co-starred opposite Jamie Foxx for five years on the popular WB sitcom “The Jamie Foxx Show.” For four seasons she also starred on the highly rated Emmy© Award-winning series “NYPD Blue.” She was recently a series regular on TNT’s “Franklin & Bash.” Other television credits include: “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Arrested Development,” “The Exes,” “Eyes” “Human Target,” “Crash,” “The Bernie Mac Show,” and “The Bonnie Hunt Show.”
A Writing Workshop for Kids 6/14 FREE!
Love Stories Told By Kids (For Kids!)
June 14, 2014 1:00pm-2:20pm
Instructor: Lora Nakamura
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Save your spot by registering here.
In this storytelling workshop, children will be able to explore the love they currently experience in their lives, from family love to friendship love, and even to love they have for themselves. Through the use of illustrations, they will learn to sequence their stories and share with others in a safe and fun environment.
Lora Nakamura is the author and illustrator of, The Bonsai Babes: A Love Story, a cross-cultural tale of unconditional love and friendship set in Los Angeles and its neighboring San Gabriel Valley. She has a background in education and social work, receiving her B.A. in Spanish Literature from the University of California, San Diego, her teaching credential from Cal State L.A., and her Masters in Social Work from Cal State Long Beach. She has been a guest lecturer on issues of diversity at Cal State L.A., and an advocate for underrepresented communities in Compton, Lynwood, Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley.